Keyless lock



May 25 1926.

- 1,586,496 M wlLpRlcK KEYLESS LOCK original F l 4 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 gwumtoz J WZ Swamp the-like; V i j V v Figure 2 is a side elevational view of they Patented May 25, i7

i 1,586,496- T iOFF CE;

MEADE WILDRICK,015fiAQSIfAlQlVAH, EORGIA, ssIeno qm wf KnYLEss Loci; com-1 :QPANY, mm'rnnfor HONOLULU, 'rnanrrony or HAWAIVLSA conrormrron or i TI-IE ERRITOR or HAWAII.

' xwm s eocxd; i

,A plication filed November 1; 1924, Seria1 No. 747,777. 1 Renewed November'l ,1925.

-;This inventionrelatesto keyless locks of the general typeshown iniUQS. Patents No," 1,56 ,132, granted} Dec. 8,-.-1925, andNo. 1,577,398, grantedMar. 16, 1926'; also shown 1 b andydesc'ribed inthe applicationSerial:

7 46,17 8, filedOct'. 27,1924, by' Meade 11d rick, entitled, Wheel; for keyless locks, and has for, one of its objects toeprovifde a lock of this general character which will be 1Q simpleqi'n construction, comparatively ine c-.

pensive to manufacture andfveryefiicient in action, 7, f f

{A further objectof the invention is tof provide a; 'keyless or permutationlock, which} 15' may have a wide application to various'uses,

e such. for example, as to ignition locks, steer ing nwheel locks, transmission locks, door locks-and toolcase locks, ,for automobiles; to baggage such as suitcases, trunks and 20 bri'ef'cases tobuildersfhardware such as 7 door locks, pad locks and bolt locks'suchjas are commonly used onlookers in a country clubs, gymnasiums, coat rooms, etc. to safes, safe deposit boxes and strong-boxesiand other similar containers and to oifiee equipment, such as filing 'casesand desk drawers."-

V 7 With the above-and other objects in view which will. appear as 'the de'soription proceeds, the invention consists in. the, novel details of construction and combinations of g partsinore fullyhereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims. I 1 51 Referring to -the acfcompanying drawings,

forming alpart of this specification in which like reference characters {designate like partsqin allofthe views 1 V Figure l is a frontielevationa*view ofae boltlock constructed in accordance with the presentinventi'on, suchas would be particularly adapted for use upon locker' 'doors and lockf-fshown inFigur'efl' as seen from the right of-thesaid figure."- I I a Figure 3 isavertical sectional view taken approximately: on the plane indicated by the 'line 3-53 ofxFigure- 2, looking'in'the direction of the arrow'.- I V Figure 4 isa detail perspective view of the boltemployed in; theylock shown in ures 1,-2 and -3.'-

' "Figure" 5 isla detail elevational-View of oneof the permutation wheels.

" Figure6 is an elevational {view of, a some what modified form of thefinvention illus trating the application of the generic: prin-i ciples to afbaggage lock, such for: example,

as a trunk or suit case lock.,i& I

a 1 Figure 7 isla longitudinal sectional "Vien v I I Figure 6, takenf approx mately, on the plane indicated by'the through the lockishown in flinea77 in said; figure and i fF'gure 8; "s a longitudinal sectional view at right:an'g1es to Figure 7, takenapproximatelyi on the} plane, indicated by v the line 8+8 in said figure.

' Referringmoreespecially to j'Figures 1' to 5 inclusive, tthe numeral, 10 indicates; generally the lock casing orfhousing which may take they form of a ho1lowcasting, the

: openrear -,;end- 11 of which maybe closed by *tlie plate "12,-: securedY thereto by the screws; 13as clearly shown in Figure 2. The lnte'riorof thei'sa d casing is recessed as in,

dica ted at 14 to accommodate the(working parts of, the locklwhich comprise lithe bolt" 15,: and the permutation wheels 16. The

said bolt"15 comprisesa headl? having the projectingfportion; '18 and axiallyextending "shaft '19," which latter is provided with a plurality of, pairs of circumferential grooves and 211 as will be clear-from 'thejedraw-i i f ings; The said. shaftis also provided-with a longitudinally extending keyeway 22- which preferablyl extends v substantially etheugfull length of the sl aft--and which is adapted to receive the lugs or projections 23 formed upon thein'nerGircumference of the wheels or "disks. l6 as-zwill' be clear from Figures 3' and-5. The-parts are so designed and assembled ithat the key-way '22 will permitof axial movement ofthe bolt relative to the wheels 16 withtheflugs :01; projections 23 riding in the said fkey-way while the circumierentialgroove's 20 and =21 will permit of rotation of the wheels uponthe shaft,

when the' lugsijor projections 23 are 5113' alignment therewith as will bereadily-un-- der stood; Inother words, when the bolt 15 is in either open or locked p0siti0n,the circumferential grooves '20 or'21' are brought 7. into alignment with the lugs 23' so that wheels maybe "freely rotated upon the shaft 19'and whentheyare jso rotated, to move the said-lugs" 23 out of axial alignment with rioor the key-Way 22, thewbolt will :be prevented from "movementfin eitherdirection'. On the other hand, when the wheels are set to such position, that the lugs 23 are in alignment with the longitudinal key-way 22, then the bolt may be moved from locked to open position andvice versa, as will be readilv understood.

In order to accomplish the sliding longitudinal movement of the bolt, the head 17 thereof is provided with an elongated slot or opening 25 through which projects a pin or stud 26 which carries at its outer end a finger piece 27 which finger piece is of course, located outside of the casing 10. The said stud 26 also rigidly carries adjacent the bolt head 1-7 a disk 28' which is provided with a radial slot 29 which receives a pin or projection 30 rigidly mounted in the head 17 as will be clear from Figure 4:. It thus results that-oscillatorymovement of the finger piece 2? and its stud 26 will, through the pin and slot connection 29 and 36 produce longitudinal movement of the bolt within the casing.

Such longitudinal movement may obviously be accomplished in both directions, if

desired, but it is preferred to rely on this manual operation of the bolt for movement in one direction only, i. e., to move the bolt from locked to unlocked position.

In order: to move the bolt in the opposite a direction, there is provided on the opposite end of the bolt, or shaft 1 9, a recess or bore 31, in which is sea teda coil spring 32, one end of which abuts against the casing 10 as will be clear from Figure 3. The, pressure of this spring will thus tend to force the bolt toward the right'as viewed in Figure 3 toits locked position, from which it may bereturned by the manual operating means abovedescribed, as will be readilyunderstood. Of course, when the bolt is unlocked by the manual means and it isdesired to retain it in such unlocked position, one or more of the wheels 16 may be rotated to bring the lugs 23 out ofalignmentwith the key-way 22 whereupon thebolt will be held open. I

If desired, means may also be provided for retaining the bolt in unlocked position without the turning of the wheel 16 and for 7 this purpose I have illustrated in Figure 3,

' a Hat spring 35, secured to the casing 10 as by the screw 86 and provided with a V- shaped free end 37 which is adapted to enter a V-shap'ed recess 38 provided in the head,

17, as will be readily understood.

WVhen this detent means is employed, the

spring 35 will of course be of such strengthas' to overcome the force of the spring 32 and of course in this case it Wlll be necessary to rely on the manualoperating means 27 to start the bolt' home when it is desired to move the latter to 7 locked position. Of course, after the end 37 of thespring 35 has been dis-engaged from the notch 38, the force a plurality of recesses or false slots 4C0 which are" a'rcuately spaced around the circumference oi?- theshatt 1 9,.but wh-ichextend only a short distance longitudinally of the same. It results from suchaconstruction that if it is attempted to pick the lock in the manner above described, that it will be impossible to tell by the sense of touch when the lugs have really been brought into alignment with the key-way 22, since the same sensation will be produced every time one of the lugs register with one of these talse slots 40;

The wheels or disks 16 are preferably provided. with reduced flanges 41, the outerv circumferences of which. are. provided with a plurality 'oif arcu'ately spaced notches 42 which are adapted. to be engaged by suitable detent. springs 43 for retaining the wheel in any desired positions.

Coming now to the form of the invention illustrated. in Figures 6 to 8 inclusive it will be noted that the generic principles aret-he same and that these figures merely show the application of these principles to a lock of somewhat different application, L e., a trunk or suit case lock. the casing. 50 is provided with a cover plate 51 which may be secured thereto in any suitable manner, preferably by means of rivets.

The casing is hollowed out as indicated at 52 to receive the bolt 53which bolt is provided with the longitudinal key-way 5i and with the pairs of circumferential grooves 55 and 56, similar tothegrooves 20 and 21 shown in-the previous forum. The permutation wheels 57 rotatably mounted on. the bolt 53 are provided with the lugs or projections In this said form,

58 for entering the key-way 5i and the.

grooves 55 and 56 in the manner previously described. i

In this instance however, the bolt is provided with a substantially rectangular plate 59 which is secured thereto as by the screws 60 which carries the finger member 61 which projects above the plate as clearly shown in Figure 7 andtwhich is adapted, when the bolt is in a locked position to enthe downwardly projecting stud or catch. 62 carried by the hasp member 63 as is well known in this form-of lock. The plate 59 also carries a rigid stud (345 which pro-, jects upwardly through an elongated slot of each pair being provided with a plurality of: spaced recesses, said shaft bemg also. provide'd with an axial: bore and with a. longitudinal keyway communicatlng with all of 'said grooves; permutation discs rotatabl-ymounted on said shaft, each provided with walls of said grooves into contact with said fit) " circumferential lugs; and a, manual means for moving said bolt in the opposite direction; and means for retaining said bolt in. unlocked position against the action of: sa1d spring.

(i. In a keyless lock, a casing; a bolt member comprising a head having a notch, and a. rigid; cylindrical shaft, longitudinally slidably' mounted 111. said casing, said shaft bemg provided w th: a'plurahty of pairs of grooves, a wall of one groove of each pair being provlded w1th a phurahty of arcuately spaced recesses, said shaft being also PLOYlClQCi' with an axial bore and with a longitudinal keyway' communieating with'all of said grooves; permutation wheels rotatably mounted on said shaft, each provided with a lug adapted to be received in said grooves, keyway and recesses; aspring seated in. said axial bore normally unging said bolt toward-locking position,

thereby bringing the smooth walls of said grooves into contact with sald lugs; manual means for-moving sald bolt in the opposite direction; and a spring detent carried by .said casing adapted to engage the notch in said bolt head, to retain said bolt in unlocked position against the. action of said first mentioned spring.

8., A bolt, for keyless locks. comprising a substantially cylindrical shaft provided with a plurality. of circumferential grooves arranged in pairs and a longitudinal keyway communicating with all of said grooves, said shaft beingadapted' to serve as a journal'fora plurality of permutation wheels, and said grooves and keyway being adapted to accommodate lugs carried bysaid wheels.

9. A bolt for keyless locks. comprising a substantially cylindrical shaft provided with a plurality of circumferential grooves and a longitudinal keyway communicating with all of said, grooves, one wall of certain of said grooves being provided with a plurality of arcuately spaced recesses, said 'shaft being adapted to serve as a journal for a, plurality of permutation wheels, and

said grooves, recesses and key'way' being adapted .to accommodate lugs carried by said wheels.

10. A lock comprising a locking member mov.able from an effective to an ineffective position, and vice versa, a set of permutation wheels having parts obstructing movement of said; element from one of said positions to the other except when set in a. predetermined relation, the parts of said set of wheels and of said locking element which. cooperate to obstruct such movement comprising a series of lugs projecting from one into engaging relations with a. series of slot-'- ted circular abutments carried by the other,

and the abutments which cooperate with said lugs in opposing such movement having, in their effective surfaces, a; series of relatively shallow spaced recesses the entrance portions of which conform in shape with the entrance portions of their"- slots,

'said abutment are in; registration, a series of recesses to serve as. false slots in the surface of the abutment which opposes lock-releasing movement of said stop, and motive means tending to maintain said movementobstructing elements separated.

12. A permutation mechanism for a keyless lock comprising pairs of movement obstructingelements, each consisting of an element comprising a stop and an element comprising an abutment having a portion providing a clearanceway for said stop, Said stops and abutments comprising means opposing relative lock-controlling' movementbetween the'elements of said pairs except when said stops and clearanceways are in registration, series of recesseslin the sur faces of said abutments which cooperate with said stops to oppose relative lock releasing obst-ructin elements in relative nositions.

such that said stops and recessed surfaces of said abutments will normally be held out of contact with each other.

MEADE. 'WILDRICIQ 

